The subjunctive mood (Greek ὑποτακτική (hupotaktikḗ) "for arranging underneath", from ὑποτάσσω (hupotássō) "I arrange beneath") along with the indicative, optative, and imperative, is one of the four moods of the Ancient Greek verb. It can be used both in the meaning "should" (the jussive subjunctive) and in the meaning "may" (the potential subjunctive).
The main uses of the subjunctive in Greek are as follows:
(a) When used in its jussive sense, the subjunctive can be used in sentences such as the following:
- To make 1st person suggestions ("let me say", "let's go")
- In deliberative questions ("what should I do?")
- To make negative commands ("don't be surprised!")
(b) The potential subjunctive is used in indefinite subordinate clauses like the following, introduced by a word such as ἐάν (eán) "if by chance" containing the particle ἄν (án):
- "If by chance...", "until such time as..." or "before such time as..." referring to a single event at an indefinite future time
- "Whenever...", "whoever...", "if ever..." etc. referring to repeated events in an indefinite present time
When the context is past, the optative is used in such clauses, without the particle ἄν (án).
(c) The potential subjunctive, usually without ἄν (án), is also used in subordinate clauses such as the following:
- Purpose clauses ("so that it can happen")
- After verbs of fearing or doubt ("I fear it may happen", "I doubt if it can happen")
In a past time context either the subjunctive or the optative mood may be used in such sentences.
(d) Without an introductory verb, but preceded by μή (mḗ) "not", the potential subjunctive can also be used for:
- Doubtful or emphatic assertions about the future ("it may be that.." or "it is certain that...")
The two moods subjunctive and optative together cover most of the areas covered by the Latin subjunctive. However, one area for which the subjunctive is used in Latin but not in Greek is for counterfactual situations in the present or past (e.g. "it would be happening (but isn't)", "it would have happened (but didn't)", "I should have done it (but didn't)" etc.). For this area of meaning the imperfect and aorist indicative tenses are used in Ancient Greek.
The subjunctive is still used today in Modern Greek, whereas the optative has died out.
The subjunctive almost always has the letters ω (ō) or η (ē) in the ending, for example εἴπωμεν (eípōmen), γένηται (génētai). It exists in three tenses only: the present, the aorist, and the perfect. The perfect is, however, rarely used.
The difference between the present and aorist subjunctive is one of aspect rather than of time. In sentences looking forward to the future such as "I am afraid it may happen", the aorist describes single events, whereas the present subjunctive primarily refers to situations or habitually repeated events. In sentences describing repeated events at an indefinite time such as "whenever he has finished, he sits down", the aorist refers to events which, though repeated, precede the time of the main verb.
Except sometimes in Homer, the negative used with the subjunctive is always μή (mḗ).[1]
The subjunctive, like the imperative, is found in only three tenses: the present, aorist, and perfect. The difference between these tenses is generally not one of time, but of aspect. Thus when a subjunctive verb is used prospectively to refer to a future event or situation (e.g. "I am afraid it may happen"), the aorist is used to refer to an event, the present to a situation (or habitual series of events):
- εἴπωμεν ἢ σῑγῶμεν;[46]
- eípōmen ḕ sīgômen?
- Should we speak (event – aorist subjunctive) or should we remain silent (situation – present subjunctive)?
When the subjunctive is used with ἄν (án) in indefinite clauses (e.g. "whenever he has spoken, he sits down"), the aorist refers to an event which takes place earlier than the main verb:[47]
- ἐπειδὰν δὲ οὗτοι πάντες εἴπωσι, τότ’ ἤδη κελεύει λέγειν τῶν ἄλλων Ἀθηναίων τὸν βουλόμενον, οἷς ἔξεστιν.[48]
- epeidā̀n dè hoûtoi pántes eípōsi, tót’ ḗdē keleúei légein tôn állōn Athēnaíōn tòn boulómenon.
- And when all of these men have spoken, then (the herald) orders any of the other Athenians who wishes to speak, to say his piece.
But when the subjunctive verb in an indefinite clause refers to a situation which is simultaneous with the time of the main verb, the present subjunctive is used:
- ἐπειδὰν ἡγῆται βασιλεύς, οὐδεὶς αὐτοῦ πρόσθεν πορεύεται.[49]
- epeidā̀n hēgêtai basileús, oudeìs autoû prósthen poreúetai.
- Whenever a king is leading, no one walks in front of him.
- μαινόμεθα πάντες ὁπόταν ὀργιζώμεθα.[50]
- mainómetha pántes hopótan orgizṓmetha.
- We are all mad whenever we are angry.
The perfect subjunctive also refers to a situation existing at the time of the main verb, but as a result of something which happened earlier, as in the example below:
- ἐάν τε ἑαλωκὼς ᾖ ἐάν τε μή, δηλούτω.[51]
- eā́n te healōkṑs êi eā́n te mḗ, dēloútō.
- Whether (the hare) has been caught or not, (the huntsman) should make it clear (to his colleagues).
Subjunctive endings almost always contain the letters η or ω, except in the 2nd and 3rd person singular of -όω verbs, which have -οῖς, -οῖ, and in the 2nd and 3rd singular and 2nd plural of -άω verbs, which have -ᾷς, -ᾷ, -ᾶτε like the indicative.[52]
The order of the endings in the tables below is: "I", "you sg.", "he/she/it", "we", "you pl.", "they".
A 2nd and 3rd person dual number (e.g. ἦτον "you both may be", ἦτον "they both may be") also exists but in most verbs it is rare. It is omitted from these tables.
More information present, λῡ́ω ...
subjunctive | present |
λῡ́ω | ποιέω | τῑμάω | δηλόω | εἰμί | εἶμι | φημί | δίδωμι | οἶδα |
active |
λῡ́ω λῡ́ῃς λῡ́ῃ λῡ́ωμεν λῡ́ητε λῡ́ωσι(ν) |
ποιῶ ποιῇς ποιῇ ποιῶμεν ποιῆτε ποιῶσι(ν) |
τῑμῶ τῑμᾷς τῑμᾷ τῑμῶμεν τῑμᾶτε τῑμῶσι(ν) |
δηλῶ δηλοῖς δηλοῖ δηλῶμεν δηλῶτε δηλῶσι(ν) |
ὦ ᾖς ᾖ ὦμεν ἦτε ὦσι(ν) |
ἴω ἴῃς ἴῃ ἴωμεν ἴητε ἴωσι(ν) |
φῶ φῇς φῇ φῶμεν φῆτε φῶσι(ν) |
διδῶ διδῷς διδῷ διδῶμεν διδῶτε διδῶσι(ν) |
εἰδῶ εἰδῷς εἰδῷ εἰδῶμεν εἰδῶτε εἰδῶσι(ν) |
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More information aorist, perfect ...
subjunctive | aorist | perfect |
ἔλῡσα | ἔλαβον | -έβην | ἔδωκα | ἔγνων | λέλῠκα |
active (cont.) |
λῡ́σω λῡ́σῃς λῡ́σῃ λῡ́σωμεν λῡ́σητε λῡ́σωσι(ν) |
λάβω λάβῃς λάβῃ λάβωμεν λάβητε λάβωσι(ν) |
-βῶ -βῇς -βῇ -βῶμεν -βῆτε -βῶσι(ν) |
δῶ δῷς δῷ δῶμεν δῶτε δῶσι(ν) |
γνῶ γνῷς γνῷ γνῶμεν γνῶτε γνῶσι(ν) |
λελυκὼς ὦ λελυκὼς ᾖς λελυκὼς ᾖ λελυκότες ὦμεν λελυκότες ἦτε λελυκότες ὦσι(ν) |
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- βαίνω "I go" is almost always used with a prefix (e.g. δια-, κατα-, συμ- etc.) except in poetry.
- The perfect subjunctive is very rare. It is usually made from the perfect participle plus the subjunctive of εἰμί, although occasionally the endings are added directly to the stem.[53]
- Instead of δῷ and γνῷ Homer has δώῃ and γνώῃ. The New Testament has contracted forms δοῖ[54] and γνοῖ,[55] which despite having the appearance of optatives are generally analysed as aorist subjunctive.[56]
More information present, aorist ...
subjunctive | present | aorist | perfect |
λῡ́ομαι | ποιοῦμαι | ἐλῡσάμην | ἐγενόμην | λέλῠμαι |
middle |
λῡ́ωμαι λῡ́ῃ λῡ́ηται λῡώμεθα λῡ́ησθε λῡ́ωνται |
ποιῶμαι ποιῇ ποιῆται ποιώμεθα ποιῆσθε ποιῶνται |
λῡ́σωμαι λῡ́σῃ λῡ́σηται λῡσώμεθα λῡ́σησθε λῡ́σωνται |
γένωμαι γένῃ γένηται γενώμεθα γένησθε γένωνται |
λελυμένος ὦ λελυμένος ᾖς λελυμένος ᾖ λελυμένοι ὦμεν λελυμένοι ἦτε λελυμένοι ὦσι(ν) |
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More information present, aorist ...
subjunctive | present | aorist | perfect |
λῡ́ομαι | ποιοῦμαι | ἐλύθην | λέλῠμαι |
passive |
λῡ́ωμαι λῡ́ῃ λῡ́ηται λῡώμεθα λῡ́ησθε λῡ́ωνται |
ποιῶμαι ποιῇ ποιῆται ποιώμεθα ποιῆσθε ποιῶνται |
λῠθῶ λυθῇς λυθῇ λυθῶμεν λυθῆτε λυθῶσι(ν) |
λελυμένος ὦ λελυμένος ᾖς λελυμένος ᾖ λελυμένοι ὦμεν λελυμένοι ἦτε λελυμένοι ὦσι(ν) |
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- βλαβῶ "I may be harmed" and φανῶ "I may appear" have endings similar to λυθῶ.
- The aorist endings -θῶ, -θῇς etc. are sometimes middle in meaning.